This invention relates to a hair removing apparatus of the type indicated in the prior art portion of claim 1.
A hair removing apparatus of the type referred to in the foregoing is known from FR 2 613 975 A1. Arranged in the housing of the dry shaving apparatus is a liquid container from which liquid is drawn through a pumping device and conveyed under pressure to two spray devices arranged in spaced relation to each other in the shaving zone. When this liquid conveying arrangement is set in operation, the spray device dispenses the liquid provided, regardless of whether or not the shaving apparatus is in engagement with the skin.
It is an object of the present invention to improve in an apparatus of the type initially referred to the liquid conveying arrangement with respect to the dispensing of liquid.
According to the present invention, this object is accomplished in an apparatus of the type initially referred to by the features indicated in claim 1.
The present invention which finds application in the hair removing apparatus affords a plurality of advantages. One major advantage of the invention resides in that the liquid conveying arrangement provided ensures a position-independent withdrawal of liquid from the liquid container by the liquid dispensing device. The liquids to be stored and dispensed include shaving aids such as pre-shave or after-shave lotions and/or lubricants designed to improve the gliding motions of an outer cutter on the skin and/or lubricants designed to lubricate cooperating cutter elements with or without fragrances added.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the pumping device is capable of drawing both air and liquid from the liquid dispensing device and conveying it into the liquid container, and the liquid is deliverable to the liquid dispensing device by the development of a delivery pressure in the liquid container. It is thereby ensured that a pressure is built up in the liquid container for feeding the liquid from the liquid container to the liquid dispensing device, and the pumping device returns to the liquid container the liquid which has not been dispensed from the liquid dispensing device to a user""s skin to be treated. Provision is made in the liquid container for a pressure relief valve to control the liquid delivery pressure and hence the quantity supplied.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the liquid container includes at least two chambers. In a further aspect of this embodiment a first chamber is provided for receiving air and/or liquid returnable from the liquid dispensing device. In a still further aspect of this embodiment, the second chamber accommodates a storage material for holding the liquid. To ensure the return flow of liquid from the first chamber to the second chamber, at least one passageway is provided in the partition wall separating the first from the second chamber. The passageway is preferably of a slotted configuration.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that a liquid conduit is routed through the passageway and a gap is formed between the liquid conduit and the partition wall. This arrangement ensures advantageously that the liquid drawn from the liquid dispensing device is able to flow through the first chamber into the second chamber for storage in the storage material provided therein, and that the air likewise drawn in by the pumping device by way of the liquid dispensing device is able to develop in the first chamber a pressure controlled by the pressure relief valve, which pressure subsequently operates to convey the stored liquid from the storage material via a second liquid conduit to the liquid dispensing device. For this purpose the second chamber is adapted to be coupled with the liquid dispensing device through a second liquid conduit.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the second liquid conduit is configured to project into the second chamber such an amount that the mouth of the conduit is arranged at a relatively small distance B to a wall of the liquid container. This arrangement ensures that the complete liquid shaving aid stored in the storage material can be withdrawn to be conveyed to the liquid dispensing device.
The second liquid conduit is preferably constructed as a riser.
In another embodiment of the invention, the pumping device is provided in the first liquid conduit leading from the liquid dispensing device to the liquid container. A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the pumping device is arranged in the liquid container and the pumping device is replaceable, together with the replaceable liquid container, for a new liquid container with pumping device. Hence the efficiency of the pumping device is designed only for the quantity of liquid to be dispensed from the liquid container. The quality requirements to be imposed on the pumping device are therefore extremely low and result accordingly in an extremely economical production of the pumping device and the liquid container.
In a further aspect of the invention a pumping element of the pumping device is adapted to be acted upon by an on-off type drive element of a drive mechanism of the hair removing apparatus. In an alternative embodiment of the invention the pumping element of the pumping device is also manually actuatable.
One embodiment of a liquid dispensing device is characterized in that the liquid dispensing device is formed of a container housing having one side open and a contact element partly protruding therefrom and adapted to dispense liquid. Preferably, the contact element is formed of an open-pore material. In a further aspect of this embodiment a rinsing chamber is provided in the liquid dispensing device. The rinsing chamber ensures in advantageous manner a supply of liquid to the open-pore material of the contact element as well as the withdrawal and hence the return of liquid supplied by way of the second liquid conduit back through the first liquid conduit and through the pumping device to the liquid container.
An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that provision is made for at least one liquid dispensing device on the housing. An alternative embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the liquid dispensing device is provided on a long hair cutter unit. Preferably this long hair cutter unit can be arranged in a floating configuration.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention provision is made for at least one liquid dispensing device on a removable frame. Preferably the frame is constructed as a shaving head frame. In another embodiment the frame is constructed as a cutter frame. The liquid dispensing device may be secured either fixedly or detachably on the housing or on the long hair cutter unit or on the removable frame.
In a further aspect of the invention the liquid container is arranged for replacement in or on the hair removing apparatus. In another aspect of this embodiment the liquid container is fixedly arranged in or on the housing. In an alternative embodiment the liquid container is arranged in or on the housing so as to be adjustable by a distance A.
In one embodiment of the invention the liquid container is equipped with a filling valve.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the liquid container with the pumping device is arranged to be adjustable by a distance A. A significant advantage of this embodiment resides in that the adjustability of the liquid container and the pumping device enables the pumping device to be disconnected from, and connected to, an electric drive mechanism of the hair removing apparatus. It is thereby ensured that the user is able to decide about the use and the duration of use of the liquid dispensing device. In one embodiment of the invention the liquid container with the pumping device is adapted to be coupled to the electric motor. In a further aspect of this embodiment the pumping device is adapted to be coupled to the electric motor via oscillating members.
One embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be described in more detail in the following.
In the drawings,